Radziewski nearly perfect as Miami shuts out UCF 5-0

That's hard to believe after Wednesday night, because Miami's junior lefty was working at 100 percent efficiency against UCF.

Radziewski struck out a career-high 11 batters in five no-hit innings, as he faced the minimum in the mid-week 5-0 win.

Freshman David Thompson's two-run homer in the top of the first -- his first at Mark Light Field -- and that was all the Hurricanes (12-2) needed behind their former Friday-night starter, who missed nearly the whole of the 2012 season because of a shoulder injury.

Four relievers combined to finish the game, allowing only five hits. Eric Whaley allowed the first hit of the game immediately after relieving Radziewski, who coach Jim Morris said was on a strict 60-pitch limit, but who threw 67 Wednesday.

Morris said post-game that it's important to the Hurricanes that Radziewski needs to get back into the weekend rotation, but he'll likely throw him mid-week against Illinois State next week. If he responds well to an increased workload, Radziewski will be in the weekend rotation when Miami hosts Virginia Tech March 22-24.

Radziewski noted after the game that he didn't know what to attribute his stellar performance. His slider, which is devastating to righties, was crisp Wednesday, but his never-quite-dominant velocity wasn't nearly back to full-blast.

Before the game, Radziewski's bullpen session gave no indication of what was to come. B-Rad called it shaky, but quoted the baseball axiom that bad pre-games usually equal good games.

The double-digit K total was the first for a Hurricane starter in nearly a year. Combined, Miami struck out 18 Knights Wednesday.

Thompson's homer, a towering fly ball which caught a stiff breeze blowing to right field, was his second of the season. In his first 14 games he has 18 RBIs.

Brad Fieger extended his now 13-game hitting streak with an RBI single in the fourth. Alex San Juan and Michael Broad provided the Hurricanes' final two tallies.

Miami opens ACC play Friday at home against Duke. UCF fell to a record of 7-6 with the loss.